We visited the Tin Can Cafe at 307 South Myrtle Avenue on 24 July 2010. This was our first visit to the Tin Can. The Tin Can Cafe was a recommendation from TBB fan Steve T, the proprietor of The Country Skillet and brother of the guy behind the wheel at the Tin Can. It’s all in the family!

As you might have guessed, there were more than just me and Marek at this table. We had cars! And check out The Marek’s cool Holland t-shirt. Attentive readers will notice that one of us did a lot of shopping at an airport recently.

And we were joined by our favorite Guest Reviewer, Mom. Mom, thanks for being part of this morning’s pancake posture. Pure panache!

An un-heard and un-seen presence was with us this morning. Could it have been the spirit of Andrew Jackson, seventh president of the United States? Could it have been a car from the future that I may one day own? No! It’s a NEW BABY, almost here! Just a few weeks!

Marek and I are going to have to get new business cards.

Favorite Guest Reviewer Mom had the hot chocolate. We enjoyed that we’re six months early for Christmas! It’s 100 degrees out there, and she’s got whipped cream!

And the Winter theme continued with my Frosty the Snowman. Not complaining, by any means. I came perilously close to wearing a Peanuts Christmas t-shirt this morning. Then I said, naw, I’m not going to be the ONLY Christmas-themed thing today. I should have listened to my t-shirt stack.

Here’s a great menu. Covers all the bases. Has a fair amount of variety. Prices seem reasonable. No complaints on this dance card.

We ordered pancakes, a fact that may shock any but the most premonitious of readers. That’s not actually a word, by the way, so far as I can tell using the vast power of Google’s dictionary. But as a member of the prestigious and untouchable International Guild of Breakfast Writers (specifically from the chapter of Bay Area Regional Food Epicurean Reporter Syndicate), I claim the right to make stuff up. Whilst we waited, we toasted the grandness of our breakfast endeavors.

Then, we played cars. Marek has a thing these days for Mazda rotary engines. Nothing beats 8 big-block cylinders, tho Mazda does have something going on with those fun little power plants.

So we’re talking about naturally aspirated vs. forced induction. It’s a heated debate. Mom’s all for the NOS. Marek’s about turbos. I’m sort of a fan of both, but I can appreciate a good old fashioned four-barrel Holley, too. I had a V6 one time with the carb sitting out on the bench. I turned the key to bump the engine a notch so I could line up the timing, or something like that, and the engine started. I could clearly see the carburetor sitting on the bench from the cab, yet the engine was running. Ford. 1986 or thereabouts. I’ll tell you the secret on how it was running, but it’ll cost you ….

Breakfast!

Marek, he likes him some syrup on the bacon. And the pancakes, too.

Mom, she likes the French toast. She got the bacon and eggs special for us, too, so we could all share. That’s good bacon, and good eggs too!

Marek and I had the pancakes, natch. Mine with blueberry and his without. He’s a purist like that. We found the bacon to be very fresh and tasty, and the pancakes were quite nice. Quite nice, indeed.

This breakfast is really good, but it’s never so good that there’s not time for un beso! Marek advises me that I’ll need to enjoy these moments now, because there’s going to come a time, sooner than later, when he’ll not want anything to do with me. So I’m enjoying it now, just like the man said.

We wrapped up a fine bit of morning chow with the bill. 17 bucks for three. Not great, but not bad. We’d call that an average price.

Marek paid the bill. He’s the moneybags these days. This picture has nothing to do with hotpants.

Marek made hisself at home behind the counter. Paid the bill, collected change, and even told a few jokes along the way. He thinks he’s the Bob Hope of the Breakfast Circuit. I swear, he’s signing autographs when I ‘m not looking.

Really good pancakes. Nice bacon. Reasonable eggs. Hot, brimstone coffee. French toast passed the Mom test, too. Inside was small, cozy, and full of regulars and right friendly folks. We felt right at home from the moment we got out of the car to the time we walked out the door.

From start to finish we had a really nice time at The Tin Can Cafe. The chow was very nice, the price was OK, but the people, especially the clientele, were just so nice we couldn’t help but come away with smiles. Inside, which we didn’t capture in photographs for some reason, was decorated with all manner of cookie tins and other tin cans, which was interesting and unique. The Tin Can Cafe hits all the right notes for a great little mom-n-pop pancake shop. We’re pleased to give award the Tin Can Cafe with a Tampa Bay Breakfasts four and a half pancake rating.